Volatile constituents of aerial parts of two Mediterranean species of Inula: Inula crithmoides L. and I. verbascifolia (Willd.) Hausskn. (Asteraceae).

Inula crithmoides L. grows along the Mediterranean coasts and is used as an edible vegetable as the young leaves or shoots are eaten raw, cooked or pickled. Inula verbascifolia (Willd.) Hausskn. is a quite localised species growing mainly along the Adriatic Sea coasts. In this study the volatile components of the aerial part of both species are described. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of 41 components in I.crithmoides and 75 compounds in I.verbascifolia, respectively, and a very different profile in the composition of the two species. The chemotaxonomy of I. crithmoides, by comparison with other data reported in the literature, is discussed.